9 Gluten-Free Grab-on-the-Go Snacks
We go beyond fruit, raw veggies and cheese sticks to find the best salty and sweet bites.
By Lynn Andriani
When You're Feeling Too Sluggish for the Gym
When you wake up early to exercise, you may not be hungry—but
it's important to ingest some carbohydrates before working out. Try
Purely Elizabeth Ancient Grain Granola Cereals, which come in flavors such as Pumpkin Fig and Cranberry Pecan and are available in 2-ounce packs—perfect for tossing in your gym bag.
When You're Starving and Dinner's an Hour Away
Passing up the crackers and just eating cheese isn't all that much fun, and—let's be honest—neither is finding yourself limited to carrot sticks and hummus. But toasted or roasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds can deliver the salty, sweet, spicy or crunchy hit you're looking for and are a snap to make. Just whisk an egg white with whatever sweeteners, salts or spices you like—sugar, sea salt, cayenne, cinnamon, cumin, curry powder—and toss the mixture with a cup or so of pumpkin or sunflower seeds. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.
When You Want a Warm Cookie...Like, Right Now
In the time it takes to preheat the oven, you can stir together a bag of Pamela's new
Oatmeal Cookie Mix (which is wheat- and gluten-free), a stick of butter, an egg and some raisins and drop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet. Ten minutes later, pour yourself a glass of cold milk and let the dunking begin. They're also great as bars (which travel well) or with coconut flakes and dried cranberries instead of raisins.
When You're Longing for Some Crunch Alongside Your Sandwich
With a savory sandwich, we crave something salty and crispy.
Popchips, which are made from corn that's been heated and blasted with air pressure, deliver both. Plus, the brand's new flavor, Katy's Kettle Corn, hits a sweet note, too—and a one-ounce serving has only 130 calories.
When You Wish Your Mid-Morning Break Involved a Mediterranean Terrace
A drizzle of good olive oil over lightly toasted crusty bread is a classic Spanish breakfast and a brilliant accompaniment to a strong cafe con leche. You can make this morning pick-me-up gluten-free (and even more filling) by starting with a wrap made from an alternative grain, such as
La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious Gluten-Free Teff Softwraps. Lay a few tomato slices on half of the tortilla and scatter a teaspoon or so of olive oil over the filling. Fold up and enjoy (or wrap in foil for later).
When You're Feeling Nostalgic
Maybe you haven't thought of Pop Tarts in 20 years, or maybe you've been drooling over the foodie versions of the foil-wrapped breakfast treats that seem to be popping up everywhere lately. Either way,
Glutino's new Toaster Pastries, which come in strawberry and apple-cinnamon flavors, are a sweet indulgence for any time of day.
Photo: Lundberg Family Farms
When Breakfast Was a Banana
If all you can stomach in the early morning is a piece of fruit, but you find yourself ravenous by 10:30 a.m., try packing a brown-rice cake spread with almond butter in your bag. (And if you're concerned about the arsenic in rice, go with
cakes from Lundberg Family Farms. They're made with rice grown in California,
which is considerably lower in arsenic than rice grown elsewhere. Lundberg's new flavors—Kettle Corn, Sweet Chili and Hemp-a-licious—taste nothing like the cardboard you may remember.) Wrap your snack with plastic instead of foil so the nut butter doesn't stick.
When You're Sipping Tea
Whip up a batch of Strawberry and Quinoa scones—with a recipe by
Cannelle et Vanille blogger Aran Goyoaga—over the weekend, and you'll have plenty of sweet treats for the week ahead. The recipe includes ground chia seeds, quinoa flakes, brown-rice flour and almond flour, so the scones are wonderfully textured but don't overpower the delicate berries.
Get the recipe: Strawberry and Quinoa Scones
When the Afternoon Chocolate Cravings Hit
With its antioxidants and high concentration of flavonoids, which can improve vascular function,
dark chocolate is practically a superfood of the dessert world. Try stashing a square of
NibMor chocolate in your purse: It's organic, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, non-GMO and made without refined sugar. The line's Daily Dose of Dark is an individually wrapped, .35-ounce treat that comes in at just 50 calories. It also comes in a Mint + Cacao Nibs flavor, which has a little crunch thanks to cacao nibs.
Next: 8 amazing gluten-free dishes, from appetizers to desserts
Published 05/03/2013
